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TLS Canon Rangefinder

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Canon Rangefinder 19mm T4.0
Canon Rangefinder 25mm T1.8
Canon Rangefinder 28mm T2.1
Canon Rangefinder 35mm T1.6
Canon Rangefinder 40mm T1.8
Canon Rangefinder 50mm T1.1 Dream Lens
Canon Rangefinder 58mm T1.4
Canon Rangefinder 85mm T1.6
Canon Rangefinder 100mm T2.1
Canon Rangefinder 135mm T2.8

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TLS Canon Rangefinder

Prime - Spherical - Full Frame

product details

Canon Rangefinder lenses are rehoused still glass originally designed in the 1950s for Canon’s rangefinder cameras, to compete with Leica and Nikon in the post-war still photography market. Today, widely rehoused for cinema use, they offer a uniquely vintage, but not overly degraded look. Their combination of warmth, flare, swirly bokeh, and manageable sharpness gives modern filmmakers an expressive palette that contrasts sharply with the hyper-corrected look of many contemporary cinema primes. Cine Visuals’ Rangefinders have been rehoused by TLS, the industry’s best. A set includes 19mm T4, 25mm T1.8, 28mm T2.1, 35mm T1.6, 40mm T1.8, 50mm T1 (aka the “Dream Lens”), 58mm T1.4, 85mm T1.6, 100mm T2.1, and 135mm T2.8. The 50mm “Dream Lens” is particularly notable for its exceptional optical design, fast T1.1 aperture, and enchanting amber lens flares, and swirly, dramatic bokeh. Full sets, partial sets or single lenses are available for rental or sub-rental from Cine Visuals.

Focal Length
T-Stop
Type
Format
Front Diameter
Lens Mount
Metadata
Iris Blades
Image Circle

Era / Generation
Contrast & Tonal Character
Sharpness & Resolution
Focus Fall‑Off / Transition
Iris & Bokeh Quality
Flare & Highlight Behavior
Handling & Ergonomics
Build & Modifications
Cinematic Heritage & Credits

*Refer to Technical Specifications table. Not the same for all focal lengths.

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Technical Specs Table

T-Stop

Type

Format

Front Diameter

Lens Mount

Metadata

Close Focus (ft)

Close Focus (m)

Weight (lbs)

Weight (kg)

Length (in)

Length (mm)

Iris Blades

Image Circle

Front Filter

Rear Filter

Horizontal Angle of View (Full Frame)

Horizontal Angle of View (S35)

Focus Rotation

T4.0

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

0.20 m

2.60 lbs

1.18 kg

–

44 mm

–

300°

T1.8

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

0.20 m

2.68 lbs

1.20 kg

2.74"

69.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T2.1

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

0.20 m

2.68 lbs

1.20 kg

2.74"

69.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T1.6

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

12"

0.30 m

2.00 lbs

0.91 kg

2.31"

58.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T1.8

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

11"

0.28 m

1.95 lbs

0.88 kg

2.62"

66.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T1.1

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

16"

0.40 m

2.25 lbs

1.02 kg

2.62"

66.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T1.4

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

19"

0.48 m

2.10 lbs

0.95 kg

2.62"

66.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T1.6

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

2'2"

0.66 m

3.34 lbs

1.50 kg

3.41"

86.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T2.1

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

2'2"

0.66 m

3.44 lbs

1.56 kg

4.00"

101.60 mm

44 mm

–

300°

T2.8

Spherical

Full Frame LF/VV

110 mm

LPL

–

3'6"

1.07 m

3.58 lbs

1.62 kg

4.68"

118.80 mm

44 mm

–

300°

TLS Canon Rangefinder

Image Fidelity & Focus

Canon Rangefinder glass was designed with high-speed apertures, compact forms, and excellent sharpness for its era. Wide open, contrast is gentle, with a pleasing falloff into the edges, giving images a soft yet dimensional rendering. Sharpness is good in the center but rolls off smoothly toward the edges, which modern cinematographers often favor for subject isolation. Stopped down, these lenses sharpen considerably, producing a more neutral, clinical look. Image fidelity leans toward warmer tones, with subtle color shifts tending toward lower contrast and slightly cooler hues.

Handling & Adaptability

The original lenses were compact and light—most weighing between 200g and 500g. The TLS rehousing transforms them into robust, production-friendly tools while retaining their optical character. These lenses can be complimented by vintage zooms such as the Cooke Varotal or Canon K35 zoom.

Flare & Bokeh

The golden 1960’s single-layer coatings add to the distinctly organic skin tones, strong, expressive flares and lowered contrast when pointed at light sources. Chromatic aberration is present wide open, particularly in the fast 50mm and 85mm, but adds to the vintage character rather than detracting. Bokeh is generally swirly, with cat’s-eye shapes toward the frame edges, giving motion shots a painterly quality.

Image Circle

Full frame coverage with a 44mm image circle and LPL mount. The rehousing process completely preserves the original optical designs and image circles, ensuring that the lenses maintain their unrepeatable look.

Cinematic Heritage

Canon entered the rangefinder market in the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that its FD predecessors truly rivaled Leica and Nikon glass. The lenses were designed during a time when Japanese optical engineering was rapidly advancing, aiming to provide high-quality, affordable alternatives to German optics. Their rediscovery by filmmakers coincided with the rise of digital cinema, as an alternative to the clean, clinical look of modern primes. Like Canon K-35s, Rangefinder lenses now represent an important link between still and motion heritage, offering a vintage but not overly “degraded” look.